Managed with Callahan Consulting for the Arts (CCA), Fair Funding Access (FFA) is a project to develop and test a system for measuring the fairness of its grantmaking by participating arts funders.
Over several years, Doris Duke Foundation developed the FFA Framework by working with a larger cohort of funders, mostly foundations, to measure the fairness and effectiveness of their arts grants in meeting their stated goals. Originally, racial disparities were the main source of content for the framework, but the flexible design can be adapted to other funder priorities or interest areas.
- Rough Sort. A quick review to filer out grants that are not related to your specific aims for fair funding.
- Refined Coding. A closer assessment of each individual grant remaining on the list. In this step, program staff will apply ratings (e.g., low, medium, high) across three measures related to the organization, grant activities and beneficiaries and write a short rationale for each rating.
Both Tiers are required to sign a confidentiality statement about this project so as to protect your and your organization’s privacy as well as that of the other FFA participants, and ensure the integrity of the coding process, as it was designed and intended.
See FAQs to learn more about the time involved and other aspects of FFA.
Benefits and Support
Participating arts funders will receive:
Schedule
Selection process: September 2025: members notified about acceptance.
Tier 1: Meetings take place on October 1, during GIA conference, at a time TBD, November 5, December 10. All online meetings take place at 12:00-1:30 ET. (However, note that members who are not attending the conference, and therefore cannot participate in the in-person meeting, will not be disqualified.)
Tier 2: Activities begin in January 2026. Training will be provided via an online session, video, and written guide. Monthly meetings will take place at a regular time TBD. In addition, staff from GIA and/or CCA will be available to offer technical assistance at a time convenient for participants.
See elsewhere on this page for details on applying and selection.
Selection Criteria
GIA seeks members with:
- Past engagement with addressing fairness in their grantmaking through, for example, grants made, programs, decisions, and policies.
- The willingness to learn about effectiveness in addressing fair funding access.
- The desire, on the part of the funder, to hold themselves accountable in addressing fairness within their giving.
- The capacity to participate, as outlined above.
We will select a group of about 30-60 members with a range of budget sizes that support the arts in a variety of ways. Priority will be given to members who commit to participating in both Tiers.
To Apply
To express interest, complete the form at this link by September 10, 2025. The questions asked are available separately here.
Questions? Email fair@ForTheArts.org or schedule a 30-minute consultation via Calendly.
* Acknowledgements also go to participants in the 2023-24 cohort:
Calgary Arts Development, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
Doris Duke Foundation, New York, NY
Indy Arts Council, Indianapolis, IN
Jerome Foundation, St. Paul, MN
National Performance Network, New Orleans, LA
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, New Orleans, LA
Opportunity Fund, Pittsburgh, PA
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Washington DC